The Tribe’s Test

Kashi blinked, stunned.

"Who taught you to use metaphors like that?" she asked her daughter.

Chow Chow tilted her head. "I'm not wrong," she said with conviction. Her big blue eyes flicked from her mother to Jin Ling. "Big Male looks at Mama the way I look at roast meat."

Before Kashi could respond, a deer beast stumbled out of the forest and collapsed into the stream. It flailed weakly, clearly disoriented.

"Manager," Kashi called out, pointing. "There's a deer beast in the water!"

Jin Ling was already moving. He splashed into the stream, grabbed the creature by the neck, and dragged it onto the bank.

"Looks like dinner just walked to us," he said, inspecting it. "No wounds. Must've panicked and ran into the stream."

"I'll clean it," Kashi offered, already unpacking her supplies. She sliced off a chunk of wild ox meat to roast as well.

As Chao Ang and Kao Li gathered firewood, the fire crackled to life. The scent of sizzling meat quickly filled the forest.

Far off, a pair of beastmen caught the scent.

A one-eyed gray wolf male sniffed the air. "Smells like roast meat…"

Another nodded. "Let's go check it out."

Moments later, the group pushed through the brush and spotted Kashi by the fire, her three cubs sitting near her, and Jin Ling skinning the deer. The gray wolf's eye narrowed.

"That's our deer beast!" he barked. "They stole it!"

The group marched forward, snarling.

Kashi stood, tense. "You're rogue beasts."

The gray wolves sneered. One sniffed the air and scoffed. "As expected. Bamboo flower scent. Inferior and pathetic."

Jin Ling moved between them and Kashi.

"We caught the deer," he said, voice cool. "Whoever catches the prey owns it. That's the rule."

The gray wolf leader didn't budge. "We chased that deer into the stream. You stole our kill."

The tension climbed.

Jin Ling's eyes darkened. "Last warning."

The wolves shifted, growling. In an instant, three transformed into their beast forms and lunged.

Jin Ling's golden form exploded forward, claws flashing. He batted the first attacker aside like a ragdoll.

Kashi yanked the cubs back. "Don't be scared—Mama's here."

A second wolf ducked low and lunged toward Chao Ang.

Kashi reacted instinctively, hurling a stone, but the wolf dodged and kept coming.

Without hesitation, she shoved Chao Ang aside and took the full brunt of the hit.

Blood splattered. Chao Ang froze, staring.

Jin Ling whirled, fangs bared, and bit down on the attacking wolf's neck. One twist—and it was over.

Seeing one of their own dead, the others backed off, dragging the body away.

Jin Ling rushed to Kashi's side. "Shishi, are you alright?"

She winced. "That shoulder again… Damn it."

"We need to leave. Now," he said.

---

On the way back, Kashi noticed Chao Ang unusually quiet.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He glanced at her, then looked away, silent.

She gently pulled him into a hug.

He struggled. "Let me go!"

Her heart sank. She thought they'd grown closer. Seeing the sadness in her eyes, Chao Ang panicked.

"I—I just didn't want to hurt you. Your shoulder…"

Kashi's eyes lit up. "You're worried about Mama?"

He turned away, face red. "Hmph."

His little fox ears twitched rapidly. Kashi couldn't help smiling.

The tension melted.

---

By sunset, they reached the Black Market Tribe.

Two brown bear beastmen spotted them and approached.

The moment their eyes landed on Kashi and the cubs, their expressions twisted.

"You're rogue beasts. Get out."

Kashi's chest tightened, but she stood firm.

"We've done nothing wrong. We only want shelter."

"No chance," Lin En spat. "Our tribe doesn't take in your kind."

Jin Ling stepped forward, placing the fresh prey at their feet.

"In exchange for staying."

They looked confused. "You're strong. Why are you with them? You can stay. But they can't."

Jin Ling's golden aura flared.

"What if we insist?"

Lin En and Lin Mu growled and stepped into fighting stances.

Before the conflict escalated, a white cat female sprinted up, tail bristling.

"Lin Mu! Lin En! Hurry—the tribal elder! Emilon's dying!"

Everything shifted.

Moments later, a bloody and unconscious female beastman was brought to the entrance—Emilon. Her abdomen was pierced through.

The elder arrived and inspected her, his expression grim. "It's hopeless."

Lin Mu fell to his knees. "Please—there must be a way!"

"She's too far gone," the elder said.

Kashi looked at Emilon's pale face, then down at Chow Chow, who was holding her hand tightly.

"Mama… she's dying," Chow Chow whispered.

Kashi hesitated. Then something in her mind clicked.

She crouched and looked her daughter in the eye.

"Chow Chow… can you save her?"

Chow Chow puffed out her cheeks, eyes darting nervously toward the hostile crowd. "They hate us. I don't want to."

"I know," Kashi said gently. "But this is our chance to show them we're not what they think. You don't have to… but if you do, it might change everything."

Chow Chow looked down. Then she gave a little nod.

"I'll try."

---

Chow Chow's Point of View

Her paws trembled as she stepped forward. She didn't like this place. She didn't like how they stared at her like she was dirty.

But Mama was behind her.

That was enough.

Emilon lay limp in the arms of the white cat woman, her blood already soaking the ground. Chow Chow's heart hammered.

I'm just a cub… Can I really do this again?

She placed her small paw into Emilon's cold hand.

The wound was deep—she could feel the wrongness pulsing beneath her skin. The smell of blood was thick and hot in the air.

Chow Chow closed her eyes.

The warmth inside her stirred.

Like before, it wasn't fire—but something deeper. A glowing thread inside her heart, unspooling slowly.

She drew it out—gently, afraid it might snap—and pushed it into her fingertips.

Light bloomed.

Soft, golden, warm.

The murmurs of the crowd fell silent.

The wound on Emilon's stomach began to mend—inch by inch. The light flowed over torn skin, broken veins, shredded muscle.

Chow Chow bit her lip.

It hurt.

Every time she healed someone, it felt like part of her was being drained away. But she didn't stop.

Emilon's chest rose with a sharp gasp.

Her eyes fluttered open.

The light faded.

Chow Chow wobbled on her feet, eyes rolling. Before she could fall, her mother caught her.

"Mama…" she whispered. "I'm sleepy."

Kashi hugged her tight. "Sleep, my brave girl. Mama's got you."

---

Back to third person—

The crowd was frozen.

Emilon blinked in confusion, weak but breathing.

"I'm… I'm alright?" she murmured.

Lin Mu and Lin En looked at Kashi and Chow Chow with shock—and then awe.

"You saved her," Lin Mu said. "I'll talk to the chief. I promise."

The tribal elder stepped forward.

"I agree. You may stay in the tribe."

Murmurs of protest rose from others.

"They're rogue beasts! What if they betray us?"

The elder silenced them with a raised hand. "They just saved one of our own. That deserves more than suspicion."

He turned to Kashi. "You may stay. But harm no one here."

Kashi nodded firmly. "We'll live in peace. But we won't allow ourselves to be bullied either."

The elder smiled faintly. "Good. Lin Mu—show them to a stone house on the west side."

---

Their new home was small but sturdy. Three rooms. Cracks in the walls, sure—but it was dry, and warm, and safe.

"No more sleeping in snow," Kashi whispered.

After helping settle the cubs, Jin Ling headed out to cook.

Kashi wandered room to room, cleaning cobwebs with a branch.

She couldn't reach one high corner. Just as she tried to jump, a warm hand took the branch from her.

"You're still injured," Jin Ling said. "Let me."

He swept the webs in a single motion. His body brushed lightly against hers. The faint scent of forest clung to him.

She froze.

When she turned, she landed straight into his chest.

His arms steadied her—then tightened just slightly.

She heard his heartbeat. Steady. Strong.

"Jin Ling…" she whispered.

Their eyes met. His leaned closer—

"Mama, does your wound hurt again?" came Chao Ang's voice, suddenly between them.

Kashi jumped back, flustered.

"N-No. I'm fine."

Chao Ang frowned. "You wanted Big Male to kiss you again, huh?"

Jin Ling chuckled. "She might still be in pain."

"Then kiss her!" Chao Ang demanded.

"Stop, stop—no kisses, no pain, no nothing! I'm just hungry!" Kashi yelped.

She dashed off toward the fire.

Jin Ling watched her go, a grin forming.

"She really doesn't let us rest easy," Chao Ang muttered.

But his eyes sparkled.

Jin Ling chuckled. "No, she doesn't."

---

That night, Kashi ate roasted meat, her belly full and her heart strangely light.

She had a roof, her children were safe, and—for now—the tribe had accepted them.

Not a bad start for rogue beasts.